Electric stove



Sept. 3, 1929. s HQBSON 1,726,830

ELECTRIC STOVE Filed April 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OFF if 22 1 M m Patentedsept. 3, 11929.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT or 1,726,830 FICE.

STANLEY H. HOBSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO GEO. D.

norm; coaro- RATION, OI ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC s'rova.

Application m 10, 1924. mm Io. 105,442.

This invention relates to electric stoves and ranges and'has more particular reference to the construction and location of the currentinlet connections, that is, those carrying the electric current to the heaters or burners and including certain accessories such as the fuses and the switches which control the supply of current to the heaters.

Heretofore it has been customary to mount the control switches at the front of a stove below the cooking top thereof, or on the front tion is to obviate the objections noted and to improve the construction and operation of electric stoves and ranges b locatin the current-inlet connections on a ack wal or panel above the cooking top, so that the switches and fuses are beyond the reach of children and out of the heat zone. This also simplifies the construction, locates practicall all wiring at the back of the stove, out o the way, and makes for neater and more symmetrical design, especially at the front of the cooking'top. 1

Another purpose is to provide an im roved construction of the character describe which 7 ma be produced at a comparativel low cost an will serve in a practical an effectual manner the purposes 1ntended.

Other ob ects and attendant advantages.

will be appreciated b those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1, is a perspective view of an electric range embodying my invention,

Fig. 2, is an enlarged fragmentarywiew of the control panel; h

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional viewtaken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.4; and

type shown in the drawings. This range has Fig. 4, is a horizontal sectional view taken a cooking to designated generally by 5 comprising 1n t is instance two top grate sect1ons 6 and 7 removably mounted on the top frame 8 and each carrying front and rear heaters or burners 9 and 11 respectively, each made up of a series of individual heating units 12. The particular constructions of the heaters or burners is not important to the present invention, it merely being essential that the cooking top shall comprise one or more electric heaters.

In the present instance the heating units of each burner are connected at their ends to busbars 13 (Fig. 3) which make connection 'at one end with suitable terminals or electrical contact'members designated generally by 14 carried by insulation blocks 15 passing through and mounted on the rear wall 16 of the stove frame. In each of the ovens 17 and 18 is located a number of electric heaters or burners (not shown) which may be detachably connected to electric contact members at the back of each oven similar to the members 14.

My invention contemplates assembling and mounting the current-inlet connections entirely enclosed in what amounts to a junction or frame structure of the stove, the connector blocks 15 being part of said connections. On the rear wall or panel 19 above the cooking top I mount a switch base or block 21 of insulation material preferably at the back of said panel through the agency of suitable means such as a bracket 22. In the present instance there are a series of individual switch bases or blocks secured by bolts 23 to the bracket/22. Each switch base has one or more sockets for the reception of an enclosed plug'fuse 24 and carries therebelow a rotary multi-pole snap switch designated generally aving an operating member reaching through the panel 19 and uipped in front thereof with a suitable han le 26 by means of Evhich the switch may be manually operate Inasmuch as the electric circuit per se box upon or in connection with the rear wall i ent invention is concerned by the showing of the fuses, switches, the wiring 27 connecting the fuses and swltches and the wiring or leads 28 connectin the switches and binding posts 29 on t e rear of the connector blocks 15, which posts are part of the terminals 14. It will be manifest to those skilled in this art that the lead wires to all of the burners ma be arranged at the back of the stove in so stantially the manner disclosed herein. A suitable casing or housing 31 encloses the current-inlet connections at the back of the stove.

The fuses 24 are accessible from the front of the stove through an opening 32 reaching horizontally across the top of the panel 19, said opening being normally closed by a door 33 pivotally mounted at its upper end 34 and adapted to be swung u wardly to an open position and to rest on the top of the casing 31 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The usual shelf 35 may be supported on the back panel preferably below the switches and serves its usual purpose without appreciable interference by the switch handles.

It is believed that from the foregoing many of the advantages of my invention will be aparent. The switches are on a control panel ocated in a high position so as to be more nearly on a level with the eyes of the user and more easily readable with respect to the indicia High, Medium, Low and Off, than when located below the cooking top. This hi h position also prevents tamperin by chil ren. The switch andles are set bac so as not to (project beyond the front wall of the stove an be subject to accidental turning by contact of moving bodies. The arrangement of the current-inlet connections are out of the heating zone so that neither the wiring nor the switch mechanisms are impaired by heat from the burners. This arran ement centralizes the wiring and makes or more direct connection. By removing the switch mechanism, fuses and wiring from the front of the stove the front burners may be brought farther forward and still allow plenty of room on the cooking top in front of the burners for utensils. The present ourrent-inlet connections are out of the way so as not to be injured by the accidental spilling or boiling over of water or other liquids. The

arrangement is further desirable because it promotes simplicity in construction and an unobstructed front below the cooking top which improves the appearance.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects prefaced above and while I have illustrated but a single working embodiment it should be understood that many changes might be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and S00 e of the invention as expressed in the appen ed claim, in which I claim:

In an electric stove having a cooking top and an upright panel at the back thereof, electric heating units for the cooking top, and a junction box at the back of said panel extending substantially from the cooking top to the top of the panel for enclosing currentinlet connections for the electric units, said connections comprising terminal connections at the back of said panel for said heating units, an upright block structure of insulation material within the junction box near the top thereof, vertically spaced rows of switches and plug fuse sockets on the front of said block structure, switch handles in front of the panel for operating the switches, and wiring within the unction box connecting the fuse sockets, switches and terminal connections.

STANLEY H. HOBSON. 

